Mardi Gras rolls through downtown Modesto

The good times were set to roll for the 22nd year in a row as Modesto celebrated Mardi Gras on Saturday evening.

The Tresetti’s Mardi Gras block party was expected to attract more than 1,000 people downtown to fete the traditional New Orleans holiday. The local tradition began more than two decades ago as an informal gathering and has grown into a booming bacchanalia that takes up 11th Street between I and J streets. The festivities include food, drinks, music, dancing, costumes and beads – so many beads.

“It has been popular all these years because it brings a little of the flavors of New Orleans to Modesto,” said Jordan Maisetti, whose family co-owns Tresetti’s World Caffe, which organizes the outdoor event annually. “It’s been running for 22 years now, and we’re proud to have built it up to a big thing for downtown Modesto each year.”

The event has fluctuated between Saturdays and Tuesdays over the years, in honor of the Fat Tuesday date. But Maisetti said they plan to keep it on Saturday moving forward.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Mardi Gras rolls through downtown Modesto."